not my fault, Cassia is away for a day or two expect to get the next part up day after tomorrow or the day after that. Who knows? if you ask her nicely(eg begging without threat) she may send it to me tomorrow. &lt;evil grin&gt;

Obi-Wan awoke with a killer headache. His hands were
bound behind his back and he was lying on a very hard, very
cold surface. His eyelids felt heavy and his lips stuck
together like glue, but as his mind slowly surfaced back
into reality he realized that was because he was still
wearing fake eyelashes and lipstick. Opening his reluctant
eyes with an effort, he found that he was lying on his side
on the floor of a large room. Also bound, but awake,
Mareeja sat on the floor nearby with her back against the
wall. The Princess' jaw was set and there was a defiant
glint in her eye, but Obi-Wan could tell that just under
the surface she was very frightened. On the other side of
the room, between the prisoners and the door, about five or
six armed men were involved in a game of chance, dividing
their attention between the cards they played and the
alcohol they drank.

Obi-Wan lifted his head, assessing his situation. His
long hair tumbled in his face and his dress was tangled up
around his ankles, but apparently, no one had discovered
his identity. He tried to decide how he could best use
that to his advantage. They would almost definitely
underestimate him, but only once. He was going to have to
plan whatever he did carefully. It was likely that he
would only get one shot.

"Obijeena!" Mareeja whispered when she saw Obi-Wan
moving. The relief in her voice told how glad she was,
both that her friend was all right and that she was no
longer alone.

Obi-Wan sat up and attempted to still his pounding
head. Scooting over he leaned against the wall next to
her. "Are you all right your Highness?" he asked, and then
coughed to cover the fact that he had forgotten to change
his voice. Hemming and hawing he pretended to be clearing
the effects of having been drugged out of his throat. "I
mean, are you all right?" he asked again, in his female
voice this time. For right now, it was better to have
*everyone* go on thinking that he was a girl. He would
have to tell the Princess the truth later, when he knew how
he was going to get them out of this.

Mareeja nodded. "I've got a pounding headache, but
otherwise, I'm okay. Are you all right?"

Obi-Wan nodded, leaning his head against the wall.
"I'm fine, but I understand what you mean about the
headache."

"I'm sorry you got mixed up in this Obijeena," Mareeja
apologized sadly. "Now we'll both die. You should have
stayed away."

"What, and let you have all the fun?" Obi-Wan
attempted to cheer her up a little.

Mareeja actually smiled. "Well, at least I won't have
to worry about attending any more boring affairs of state,"
she said softly.

Obi-Wan realized that the Princess was certain they
were both going to be killed. "You may have to yet," he
encouraged. "The future is not set in stone. They haven't
killed us yet, even thought they could have, let's wait and
see what happens."

"Do you really think we could get out of here?"
Mareeja asked doubtfully. "I don't even know where we are
or what's outside this room."

"Neither do I," Obi-Wan admitted. "But I'd rather die
trying, than just give up. If we look closely enough, a
way will present itself."

"Stop that whispering over there!" one of their guards
shouted from the other side of the room. The man rose to
his feet. "They look like they're up to something," he
said suspiciously to his companions. "Move further apart
you two, no talking," he commanded, crossing the room to
stand before the captives. "I said move," he gave Obi-Wan
a hard shove with his boot-clad foot, kicking the
apprentice none too gently in the ribs when the 'girls' did
not move fast enough to suit him. Grabbing the two
prisoners by the shoulders he attempted to shove them
apart.

Cassia, you are a superb writer! I love the way Obi-Wan wakes up and finds that his lips are strangely stuck together until he remembers that he's still wearing lipstick. I love the way he knows he could best any one of their captors, but he holds back to protect Marjeena. And now I'm looking forward to the plan, too!